Extensible rule



Aug. 22,v 1944. c. G. swANsoN EXTENSIBLE RULE Filed June 2, 1945 N"fmIIs/VENTOR. Carl G. 32061775071 El I Patented Aug. 22, 1944 UNITEDSTATESv PATENT OFFICE EXTENSIBLE RULE Carl G. Swanson, New York, N. Y.

Application June 2,1943, Serial No. 489,317 scam. c1`.sa 1s1) Thisinvention relates to an extensible measuring rule comprising a series ofsections which are slidably associated with one another in nestedrelationship and which may be extended and locked in end to endformation and collapsed by telescoping one section into another' and isan improvement of my patents, Nos. 2,270,227, dated January 13, 1942,and 2,270,335, dated January 20, 1942.

Among the objects of the present invention is to provide improved meansfor automatically locking the rule sections in extended position and forautomatically releasing them as the successive sections are telescopedinto one another.

Another object is to provide a rulerl which in-.

sures accurate measurements and which ts snugly against the object fromwhich the measurements are to be taken and which will make possibleaccurate reproduction of the measurement thus taken without any specialmanipulation or adjustment of the rule.

A further object is to provide simplicity of operation, to save time intaking the measurements, to reduce the number of parts to a minimum, andgenerally to provide a rule which possesses an increased durability andstability of construction and ease of manipulation.

Other objects and advantages inherent in the invention will becomeapparent from the following specication taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawing which showsby way of example an embodiment of theinventive idea.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a back view of the rule according to the invention showingthe end section fully and extended and locked in position and some ofthe other sections partly extended.

Figure 2 is a face view. l

Figure 3 is a fragmentary side view drawn to an enlarged scale.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary longitudinal section drawn to an enlargedscale.

Figure 5 is a section taken along the lineA 5--4-5 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is an enlarged section takenalong the line 6-6 of Figure 1.

Figure '1 is an enlarged fragmentarysectional view of the end rulesection.

Throughout the drawing the same reference characters serve to indicatesame or analogous parts.

Referring in greater detail to the drawing, the improved rule comprisesa series of channelshaped sections I, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 'I which areslidable within one another so that when the rule becoming disengagedfrom one another.

Adjacent the interior end of each section, except section I, a cross bar9 is anchored rmly in the'bottom wall I0 of each channel member l bymeans of screws II. This cross'bar is bored to provide bearings for the'locking bolts I`2 which are urged outwardly through the slots I3 in theside walls of the corresponding section by means of the spring I4 whichis accommodated in recesses in the bolts. The bolts are also providedwith 'a shoulder I5 to limit their'outward projection through theslotsI3. It will 'be noted, however, that when the rule is collapsed,.orwhile one section is slid within another section, the locking bolts arepressed inwardly'by the side wall of the adjacent or surrounding sectionso that the shoulder I5 will be spaced from the slots I3 as shown at theright in Figure J4.

The -side Walls of each section, except the end section 1, or, in otherwords, each telescoped sec-v tion, is provided adjacent' to its outer oropen end with a pair of slots Il into which the locking heads snap asthe sections are pulled out, thus locking two-sections together. Furtherextension of the first section will *drag along the next'succeedingsection untilthe locking bolts of the latter snap into ythe slots I6 ofthe nextsucceeding section and soon.

The locking bolts l.I2 are provided with a cammed surface l1 slantingrearwardly with respect to the extension movement. That part of thelocking bolts projecting through the slots IB and thezcammed surface areso proportioned and arranged that they will firmly interlock twoadjacent sections in extended position as shown to the right 'of Figure4. As the telescoping sections are pushed back into the telescopedsections, the edges I8 will ride on the cammed'surfacell and thus pressthe locking bolts I2 into the slots IG until the edges I8 have beenfully cleared. The bolts I2 will then be in position shown in dottedlines in Figure 4. Asthe section 6 is further telescoped into section 5,the edge of the slots I8 will ride `on the cammed surface I'I and thusthe lock'- ing bolts will become fully disengaged from the slots asshown to the right of Figure 4 with respect to sections and 1. so thatthe released section can be returned to its original nested position.Each section will become successively unlocked in the same manner uponthe occurrence of the telescoping movement until the entire rule hasbeen completely collapsed.

'I'he rule is provided with numbered scale markings upon the facethereof which is'formed by the bottom wall l of the channel members. Thenumbers or markings may be arranged in any suitable manner such as, forexample, described in my Patent No. 2,199,364.

The outer end of the end rule section 1 is provided with a pair ofspaced fixed bearing blocks in which the bar 2| is mounted forlongitudinal reciprocation. The bar 2| has a reduced portion about whichis wound the expansion spring 22 which abuts against the bearing block.The spring 22 normally holds the bar in extended position which islimited by the collar 23 abutting against the block 20. The youterextremityn of bar 2| is provided with a ,hook 24- which extends at rightangle thereto and a slot 25 is provided inv the face wall or bottom wallI0 for accommodating this hook when pressed into the end section 1. Thedepth of the slot corresponds to the thickness of the hook so that theouter surface of the latter will'be in registry with the outer edge ofthe end section 1 when the hook is fully depressed into the slot. Thebar 2| is also so adjusted by means of the collar 23 that normally theinner surface of the hook will be in registry with the outer edge of theend section 1.

In operation the hook member 24 1s pushed against the object from whichthe measurement is to be taken until it slot 25. When reproducing themeasurement thus taken, the hook is simply caught over the edge of theobject. It will be seen that by virtue of this arrangement the rule canbe applied to the object and accurate measurements may be taken fromconsiderable distances without any special aid to adjust or manipulatethe end of the rule.

A specialfriction lock 0f the type described in my Patent No. 2,270,355may be provided for the purpose of locking telescoped and partlyextended section together in the attainedpositions.

This lock comprises a yoke or bridge 26 which is xed to the side wallsof section 2 and provides bearing means for the threaded shaft 21. Aclamping block 28 engages the shaft 21 and is moved into clampingposition against the side walls of the rule sections simply by rotatingthe hand wheel 29.

The side walls 8 are interconnected by' cross pieces 30 which enhancethe rigidity of the structure and further tends to maintain the sectionsin place.

It will be understood that the foregoing description is given by way ofexample and not by way of limitation. On the other hand, the inventionmay lend itself to a Variety of expressions within the scope of thefollowing claims,

What is claimed is:

l. A measuring rule comprising a series of channe1 shaped sections, eachof said sections being frictionally slidable within one another innested telescoping relationship, at least one spring urged memberprojecting from the side wall of each of the telescoping sect-ionsadjacent the-inner end thereof and a slot adjacentthe outer end of eachof the telescoped sections for is fully depressed into the receivingsaid spring urged member to lock said sections in extended position,said spring urged member having its longitudinal axis extendingtransversely to the side walls of said channel sections and having astraight surface for engaging the forward edge of said slot topositively lock said sections against further extension of the rule anda rear surface slanting inwardly to a point inside the outer edge of thetelescoped section so that said outer edge will ride on said slantingsurface and depress Said spring urged member upon the occurrence of thetelescoping movement whereby said sections will become successivelyunlocked.

2. An extensible measuring rule comprising a series of telescopingsections, a spring urged member mounted for longitudinal reciprocationin the end of one of said sections and having its longitudinal axisextending parallel to the longitudinal axis of said end section, a hookextending from said end section at a right angle thereto, theundersurface of said hook normally being in registry with the outer edgeof said end section, a slot in said end section -for accommodating saidhook, said slot having such depth that the outer surface of said hookwill be in registry with the edge of said end section when the hook willbe in registry-'with the edge of said end section when the hook ispushed against an object from which the measurement is to be taken.

3. A. measuring rule comprising a series of channel shaped sections,each of said sections being frictionally slidable withinvone another innested telescoping relationship, at least one spring urged memberprojecting from the side wall of each of the telescoping sectionsadjacent the inner end thereof and a slot adjacent the outer end of eachof the telescoped sections for receiving said spring urged member tolock said sections in extended position, said spring urged memberhaving'its longitudinal axis extending transversely to the side walls ofsaid channel sections and having a straight surface for engaging theforward-edge of said slot to positively lock said sections againstfurther extension of the rule and a rear surface slanting inwardly to apoint inside the outer edge of the telescoped section so that said outeredge will ride on said slanting surface and depress said spring urgedmember upon the occurrence of the telescoping movement whereby saidsections will become successively unlocked, a spring urged membermounted for longitudinal reciprocation the end one of said sections, andhaving a hook extending from said end section at a right angle thereto,the undersurface of said hook normally being in registry with the outeredge of said end section, a slot in said end section for accommodatingsaid hook, said slot having such depth that the outer surface of saidhook will be in registry with the edge of said end section when the hookis pushed against an object from which the measurement is to be taken.

4. A measuring rule comprising a series of channel shaped sections, eachof said sections being frictionally slidable within one another innested telescoping relationship, at least one spring urged memberprojecting from the side wall of each of the telescoping sectionsadjacent the inner end thereof, a slot adjacent the outer end of each ofthe telescoping sections for receiving said spring urged member to locksaid sections in extended position, said spring urged member having itslongitudinal axis extending transversely to the side wall of saidchannel sections, said spring urged member having a straight surface forengaging theedges of the slot to positively lock said sections againstfurther movement, and a cammed surface for engaging the outer edge ofthe section to be next telescoped so that said spring urged member willbe depressed into said slot upon occurrence of the telescoping movementand whereby said sections will be successively unlocked.

5. A measuring rule comprising a series of channel shaped sections, eacho1r said sections being frictionally slidable within one another innested telescoping relationship, at least one spring urged memberprojecting from the side wall of each of the telescoping sectionsadjacent the inner end thereof and a.s1ot adjacent the outer end of eachof the telescoping sections for receiving said spring urged member tolock said sections in extended position, said spring urged member havingits longitudinal axis extending transversely to the side wallof saidchannel sections, said spring urged member having a straight surface forengaging the edges of the slot to positively lock said sections againstfurther movement, and a cammed surface for engaging the outer edge ofthe section to be next tele- `scoped so that said spring urged memberwill be depressed into said slot upon occurrence of the telescopingmovement and whereby said sections will be successively unlocked, aspring urged member mounted for longitudinal reciprocation in the oneend of said sections, g nd having a hook extending from said end sectionat a right angle thereto, the undersurface of said hook normally beingin registry with the outer edge of `said end section, a slot in said endsection for accommodating said hook, said slot having such depth thatthe outer surface of said hook will be in registry with the edge of saidend section when the hook is pushed against an ob` jectfrom which themeasurement is to be taken.

CARL G. SWAN SON.

